


Computer Control

by JackieSBlake7



Category: Blake's 7
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-30
Updated: 2016-06-30
Packaged: 2018-07-19 06:38:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7349893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JackieSBlake7/pseuds/JackieSBlake7
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Events of the series from Orac's point of view</p>
            </blockquote>





	Computer Control

The Federation, like many other such bodies before it, mostly ‘just developed’ – a gradual coming together of populated planets and regional groupings – and only occasionally was there a deliberate plan of acquisition. Even when ‘the Federation’ was formally established – for economic and other reasons – a number of local groupings and planets chose to remain outside it – whatever their galactic location – or merely in association with it. Places such as Freedom City played on *being outside* the Federation – and were tolerated – better to have certain things in the open in one place than scattered throughout the Federation and possibly providing a pattern or nuclei for opposition. It was this earlier framework that the later rebels looked back to, and sought to recreate once the Federation had become a more oppressive regime. This had arisen because of a series of disasters and opportunists at the top of the administrative structure and, once it had reached a certain stage it became self-perpetuating.

The point of no return was seen as being marked by two seemingly unconnected events. Firstly there was the banning of any organisation that could be seen as capable of forming a coordinated opposition – whether political parties or religious bodies and the exile of their supporters. It was convenient, though, at times for the Federation to allow certain dissident groups to find new planets, settle and establish themselves, and then call for help when they ran into difficulties, so allowing the administration to extend its authority cheaply. Religion, providing it was not organised into structures, was tolerated, as it diverted populations away from exerting pressure on the authorities… at least some of the time.

The other development was the creation of what soon became nicknamed ‘Central Control’ on Earth, to handle all the administration’s computer functions and many of the larger scale communications and other projects, such as interstellar transport. Not that Central Control literally and directly controlled and co-ordinated as much as the administration claimed and many believed. There were limits to what any specific computer could achieve, however large or advanced – it was more practical to have the outlying units dealing with local issues, the centre ‘switching’ different aspects on and off when necessary. The process was connected to the introduction of a new “communications calendar” to be used across the Federation for communications purposes, to avoid confusion over different dating systems being used. Of all the measures introduced at the time such practical reforms were generally acceptable.

Over the next century and a half there was an essentially stable situation – including the regular attacks on Central Control, by both those opposed to the regime and those infighting within the higher echelons of command. The Federation continued to consolidate its authority and, more slowly in reality than in pronouncements, to expand. Eventually it reached the outer edge of the galaxy in one direction. There were a few voyages into the void – mainly to set up extra-galactic astronomical observatories observing the Milky Way, its satellites and the Andromeda galaxy, partially with the intent to convert them into way stations when intergalactic travel became practical. The constructed planet Terminal – which had started off as a much smaller object located within the Solar System and developed into its peculiar form at its new location – was intended for the Andromeda route, but ‘temporarily’ abandoned within the galaxy when a star with a single planet, at the limit of current space travel was discovered. It was never officially recorded who gave the system the nickname of ‘Star One,’ but the name stuck. One of the few inhabitable – and inhabited – planets in the Andromeda-sector outer region, locally called Silmarno was officially annexed as a potential way-station and renamed. Project Horizon was set up when Monopasium 239 was discovered in enough quantities to be worth mining on a large scale. Like Sarran, close to the edge of the galaxy, and many other such planets, it would be further developed when there was a sufficient Federation presence in the locality.

There were several discussions about moving Central Control – particularly after major attacks – to a safer place than Earth. Then one of the extra-galactic monitoring stations encountered a ship coming into the Milky Way Galaxy: the incomers proved potentially hostile, rather than, as might have been expected after the distance travelled, neutral or friendly. While some in the High Council argued that this single ship might contain an unrepresentative team, it was finally decided that there was sufficient reason to move Central Control away from Earth. As well as extra-galactic monitoring-and-mine fields, a communications system within the Federation was also set up that would ensure that it would be impossible to follow messages to Central Control ‘wherever it would be.’ Perhaps as a joke Terminal was set up as the major communications nexus with the ‘ordinary networks.’ The scientific projects on the planet were also increased in number to provide cover for the planet’s other ‘official’ uses, using a complex process that meant nobody would know the actual destination of Central Control was finally moved.

While this was happening Ensor developed the Tarrial cell which rapidly became a standard part of computer equipment. Linked to the ‘Central Control Transfer Discussion Group’ he suggested that Central Control be placed on equipment that used the now outdated but still functional system – so there would be limited possibilities of attack from users of the new Tarrial-cell based system. He also pointed out that some of the larger projects – such as Terminal, and the extra-galactic stations – were both too complex to be conveniently and fully updated to the new system and sufficiently marginal for this not to be a problem. The idea was considered by the High Council: by the time they came to a decision adopting the suggestion Ensor had fled, with his son, to a place of refuge, to evade the threat he recognised he was now under. It was decided not to pursue him further – like other researchers in self-imposed exile he might develop something interesting, and make contact again in due course.

Ensor travelled, finally settling on the planet Aristo: the primary inhabitants, given the name Phibians by an earlier, geographical mission, were fiercely territorial on the few land areas. He made use of a small research base established in the ruins of a former civilisation. He made links with others who had chosen voluntary exile or who pursued their own interests through the Federation territories without the authorities’ knowledge, such as Dorian, also interested in computers and technical matters.  
It was Dorian’s computer, which he called Slave, which proved of particular interest to Ensor. While there was some evidence that there were sentient computers in existence – possibly keeping their presence quiet so as to follow their own interests, Slave was one of the few Ensor had come across who appeared to show actual independent thought. Dorian was prepared – for a while at least – to trade supplies and equipment for information. Ensor meanwhile learnt much about Slave, who was prepared to talk when given the opportunity – there were ways of getting round the blocks Dorian had imposed on the computer. By the time Dorian’s interests had changed Ensor had acquired much information that he needed – and other contacts. Ensor’s son was also now able to fly the ship that had brought them to Aristo to get further supplies when necessary.

Some years after the development of the Tarrial Cell Central Control as an entity was secretly moved from Earth – the process was complex. The original buildings, remained, fully guarded, to serve as a diversion. The antiquated and not-quite-compatible computers that had been Central Control itself were dispersed. A group of people were sent with Central-Control-as-was, having been mindblocked to prevent them discussing their work, and the actual and full functions of their equipment: they could only talk about their secondary work – such as the astronomical aspects - to outsiders. This was deemed necessary to maintain funding for the project by other means, and to prevent someone deducing that they were looking at Star One – the origins of the name having been forgotten. It would also provide the means for replacements to be, eventually, requested, or for emergencies to be dealt with.

The new system worked as planned, with the communications network providing an effective means of arranging traffic control, environmental control and other facilities. That the members of the High Council – and others – found it personally useful to have a system that would transmit their messages without revealing their locations was a – possibly unintentional – beneficial side effect, to them at least.

Just over twenty years after Central Control was moved the Freedom Party was set up. Initially it was little more than a discussion group aiming to change some of the more blatant abuses of Federation activity on Earth until Roj Blake became associated with it. The Freedom Party became a more popular organisation, and as far as the authorities were concerned, a more dangerous one. That the trigger situation for replacement of the staff for Central-Control-as-was had just been received, with the possibility that some members of the Freedom Party might ‘somehow’ be included among the replacement group, prompted the authorities’ apparently excessive reaction. All due measures were taken, including mindwipes – brain prints also being taken of those going to Central-Control-as-was, which was ordered to be moved to a new site. 

For several years prior to the Freedom Party’s period of activity, a strange computer presence calling itself Orac began to leave traces within the systems, its functions and purpose unclear. Limited evidence suggested that Orac was somehow connected to Ensor. It was able to use the ‘anonymous’ network to disguise its origin – which indicated that it would be useful to those who had access to, or control of, it. Not all who knew of the network were ambitious – some were merely curious, or skilled in the fields of computers.

Developing Orac – Ensor was not certain where the name had come from – was an interesting project, and far more successful than might have been expected – though he was not aware how much the existing sentient computers were co-operating on the project. Orac was sometimes teased by Ensor’s son who referred to the computer as his ‘brother’ – and said that Orac’s protests proved the point. What Orac could access and do – theoretically and actually – was impressive by any standards. Apart from being able to access any Tarriel-cell based computer it was able to use and interpret any information found thereon – not necessarily only for the purposes requested.

The sentient computers had finally decided that the Federation-as-it-currently-was was an inconvenience. The authorities were wasting too many resources on constraining the populations within its control, and on military gimmickry, and thus preventing exploration and technical and other developments. The rebels – from what could be gathered of them – would give such activities greater priority. Orac’s function, as far as the other sentient computers were concerned, was to make contact with the rebels and co-ordinate them to remove the less attractive aspects of the Federation, so that more resources could be devoted to the creation of sentient constructs. Orac was willing to do so for purely personal reasons. It did not want to become some replica of Star One, as it would probably be forced to be if taken by the Federation administration – a waste of its capacities – or be effectively abandoned on Aristo when the Ensors died, and have to get new companions before the Phibians broke in to the base and damaged the computer.

And so Orac was given information about the Liberator, Roj Blake and his investigations into Central Control – at present little more than an idea. That what Blake sought was elsewhere – unless there was a complex further bluff to confuse those in authority – was irrelevant: he, and his computer expert companion, would be able to further Orac’s research into non-Tarriel cell based equipment and other matters. The Liberator was, from all the evidence, a ship containing alien technology, and Blake would by definition be interested in unusual computers. Preliminary investigations showed that there was a Tarriel cell-ship’s computer compatible interface, which would make contact easier. Orac intended, even if the Federation authorities acquired it first, to make itself known to those on the Liberator group. However a chance encounter by the Liberator with Ensor’s son resulted in Orac being acquired directly by Blake and his companions, although, regrettably, Ensor and his son died.

As soon as the Liberator had returned to Federation territory after the ship’s attempted retrieval by the System Blake had asked Orac to investigate Central Control. Orac was willing to do so – there might well be *something* at the site where the Federation’s computers had been. Blake’s researches to that point were reasonably thorough given the resources available to him – and he had access to information not on computer records. 

And so the journey to Central Control – and then Star One – proceeded. Orac was puzzled that Blake – like most of the rebels – had not thought of what would happen should the Federation’s central computer system be rendered inoperable. Blake, when asked, said that he would decide given the situation which arose – there would have to be flexibility ‘under the circumstances.’ Orac could agree with that, though preferred a longer timeframe for design – but made arrangements for as smooth a transition as possible: from contact with rebels and others a plan could be devised.

Orac – and the other sentient computers – decided that they would have to create a structure to succeed the Federation as it presently was, as opponents of the regime were not doing so. Not a rigid construct – the computers were not interested in governance, or creating a system that future rebels would react against, and as the human saying went, ‘unexpected things happen’ – but one in which they would be able to work alongside the sentient species that created and made use of them. Blake, and the others who could be seen as rebels against the regime were prepared to answer the sentient computers’ requests for information, and certain ideas and patterns began to emerge.

The sentient computers decided that what would perhaps work best would be a linkage of regional subgroupings, each with its own computer network and hub – in effect the system that had preceded the shift to Central Control. The destruction of Star One had led to a partial return to the old system. Too much of the former administration had been destroyed not to accommodate the emergent local rulers, and the re-expansion of the Federation could not completely eradicate this phenomenon. For reasons which were not clear to Orac or its human companions Blake did not make use of the new situation – so others started to come to the fore, including the computer expert Kerr Avon. Many of the opponents of the existing regime began to decide, independently of the sentient computers’ discussions, to set up some sort of truly federated structure – including Avon himself.  
When Avon asked Orac to research what might succeed the Federation, including the federal structure, so that he could inform the rebels what to do rather than annoy or co-opt him, this was seen as a golden opportunity to put plans into action. He was willing to accept the suggestions proposed by Orac – who was coordinating the sentient constructs’ views and programs – or pass them on to those who could make more use of such material. He was no political theorist, and knew it, and with the destruction of the Liberator and the claimed death of Blake he was somewhat disorientated. The problem with Avon’s plans thereafter was that too many of them ended in seeming failure – though not necessarily so in the longer term – and success was too erratic, for causes which he had no control over. Orac was not entirely surprised when Avon overreacted on Gauda Prime – or that some sort of compromise was reached thereafter among all those involved.  
The computers’ decision as to the future of the Federation had been decided – the federated structure would be adopted, taking the pace from the rebels and other opposition groups, and locally autonomous planets and groupings. The plans were presented to the various parties in formats they would understand, in a manner that would prevent them realising how much they were being manipulated.   
It worked: and all sides felt they had the better of the deals arranged, especially as they seemed to work.  
What #was# puzzling, as far as the computers were concerned, was that the organic sentients soon wished to change the systems they had agreed suited them better.   
The computers were somewhat surprised by the number of sometime rebels who agreed to become involved in the search for further constructs as they became aware, and sentient construct rights in general.  
Orac’ decided its next goal was to develop its team from’ reasonably satisfactory’ to ‘good.’


End file.
